Experienced Workers’ Comp Lawyer in NYC Explain Workers’ Compensation Death Benefits for Correction Officers
One of the most dangerous jobs in the United States is being a correction officer. According to government statistics, out of all U.S. workers, correction officers have one of the highest rates of work-related injuries and illnesses that are nonfatal. However, fatal injuries are also common. The same statistics reveals that over 110 correction officers are fatally injured in the United States each year. However, during the pandemic, over 200 correction officers have died due to COVID-19, based on national statistics that are from mid-2021 (meaning the true figure is probably much higher). Workers’ compensation death benefits for correction officers in NYC can be used to help pay for the loss of income and support that a loved one brings to a family after a workplace accident, assault, or illness. Learn how our experienced workers’ compensation death benefits lawyer in NYC can help you and your family after the loss of a loved one.
Here at O’Connor Law, our workers’ comp law firm is dedicated to helping injured workers and their families recover the compensation that they deserve after a severe workplace accident or illness causes catastrophic injury or wrongful death. This is particularly true for correction officers who are killed in the line of duty or due to work-related injured or illnesses. Such injuries, illnesses, and deaths can cause significant financial distress on workers and their families. New York law allows for injured workers and families of a deceased correction officer to recover death benefits. Although the process has been streamlined in recent years, it is still difficult to obtain the full amount of benefits that a family may be entitled to without an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in NYC like ours.
Common Causes of Correction Officer Deaths in NYC
Working in a correctional facility is dangerous for everyone involved. This includes nurses, social workers, administrative staff, mechanics, contractors, food services, and other individuals. But it is often the correction officers in NYC that face the largest risks in a facility because they have the most direct contact with inmates. Correction officers are also deputized to handle inmates, including in fights or hazardous conditions.
As a result, correction officers face the risk of severe injuries that could cause disability or catastrophic harm. Unfortunately, some of these injuries could also lead to fatal injuries that may result in the death of a correction officer. Some of the common causes of correction officer deaths include the following:
- Inmate assaults and traps
- Slip and falls (especially on the stairs at Riker’s)
- Breaking up inmate fights/restoring order
- Inmate transfers
- COVID-19
- Chemical exposures such as cleaning agents or other chemicals
- Inmate booking
- Asbestos
- Traffic accidents during transfers or bringing inmates to facilities like court or hospitals, and
- Any other incident that occurs within the scope of employment that is work-related.
Can a Family Recover Compensation for the Loss of a Correction Officer?
Yes, a family that loses a loved one, who is a correction officer and dies due to work-related injuries or illnesses, may be entitled to a death benefit. This is a type of workers’ compensation benefit that is used to compensate a family for the loss of income. This type of benefit is hard to obtain in full without the help of a workers’ compensation lawyer in NYC.
Under New York workers’ compensation law, a family may obtain up to two-thirds (2/3s) of a lost loved one’s average weekly wages as a death benefit. This benefit is paid monthly and continues for the life of the spouse or children, until the spouse remarries, or in certain other exceptions. Sometimes there are battles over what an employee’s average weekly wages are at the time of death. However, with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in NYC like ours, we can help you recover the full compensation that you may be entitled to under the law.
Ask Us for Help With Workers’ Compensation Death Benefits for Correction Officers in NYC
Although there is no requirement to have a lawyer to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits, when it comes to a death benefit, you should always call an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in NYC like ours at the O’Connor Law. We are dedicated to helping victims and their families after a workplace accident or illness, especially correction officers who suffer serious injuries or who are fatally injured. Learn more about how we can help you by scheduling a FREE consultation by dialing (844) 692-6671 or send us a private message through our “Contact Us” box available here. We are here to help you.
